Dark Light
by nudge343
Summary: Naomi Kuro has been found by Vanitas Darkheart, a strange man who brings destruction wherever he goes. By some force of magic she is bound to this man, who only enjoys murder and women. Now she's being taken on a wild ride as the darkness takes her. AU/Gore/Sexual Themes/Language
1. Chapter 1

The pulsing beat rocked the world. Lights danced around, enough to make me dizzy. Of course, the small amount of alcohol might have contributed to my tipsy state. It felt like I was suffocating with all the swaying bodies around. They kept bumping into me, stepping on my feet, grabbing at me. I ignored them all and pushed my way through the crowd.

The amount of drunken teens was surprising. Usually you didn't see that many teens in parties like these. This was mostly for people over 20. But I wasn't concerned over the well-being of teenagers.

I had one focus right now.

I stumbled against the bar, hitting my hip against the counter. Crying out in pain, I swore. Why was the counter so short?

"You alright?" An amused voice penetrated my thoughts. It was dark, seductive.

Looking up I saw a boy, about my age. Familiar golden eyes met mine. But the face that held them was that of a stranger.

I stood straight, rubbing my hip. "Yeah...thanks..."

He chuckled. "Just making sure a pretty girl like yourself is alright." He winked at me, his long lashes brushing his cheek.

I felt my face flush. I didn't have time for this. Yet he was so amazingly attractive...

"How about we ditch this place and go back to my house? Get to know each other..." I felt his hand slide up my arm, making me flush some more.

My eyes widened and my jaw dropped a bit. He thought I was that easy!

I slapped his hand off me. "No thanks." I hissed. "I have something to take care of." And with that, I stalked away from the bar with my face heated in embarrassment.

_Who the hell did he think he was? Stupid jerk._

This focus was turning into an annoyance. An annoyance with long black hair and golden eyes.

Investigating the bathrooms, I checked each stall. The only thing found was a few women giving me odd looks. Nothing I wasn't already used to. You had to get used to odd looks when you hung out with Aurora and Rose. Those girls were like magnets for odd looks. Although I don' understand why Rose gets them. Aurora was the one everyone knew had done some crazy stuff...

Rose hadn't wanted to come tonight, saying she had no interest in partying when there was work to be done. Instead, I dragged along Aurora, who had complained she didn't want to come at all. But I refused to come alone, so she grudgingly came along, sulking.

But after a while I had lost track of her, busy dancing with a guy I had met here before. I had a few shots, nothing strong, then decided it was time to leave. I had training in the morning. But when I had gone back, she was gone.

I groaned in frustration as I realized something. She had probably left already.

"_Dammit Aurora_!" I am beyond pissed. She had promised me two things; not to get drunk and not to leave without me. The idiot had probably gone out and done both.

I walked out of the club and looked down the street. Nothing. She must have been gone for a while now. Probably home, complaining about how I got wasted and left her alone. Truth of the matter was I did _not_ get wasted. And I _did_ try to get her to have fun. She refused and told me to go have fun.

Crossing my arms over my chest, I began to stalk home. Leave it to Aurora to ruin my night...

At least home wasn't far from here. I wouldn't have to wait long to bitch her out. The thought made me smile slightly.

When I opened the door, the first thing I did was start yelling her name. I was pissed she made me worry about her because she wasn't having a good time.

"Aurora!" I called out as Rose emerged from her room. Her hair was a mess, sticking out in some places and matted down on others.

Tilting her head to the side she gave me an odd look. "I thought she was with you Naomi...?"

I stood there a moment, letting it sink in. I felt my anger rise. "_SHE DID IT AGAIN_!"

The next hour was spent ranting. Rose seemed to listen to most of it, as always. In a way, she was a better friend. But I still loved Aurora more, for some reason.

But right now, the last thing I felt for her was love.

When I finished, I was still heated. Annoyed, I grabbed my iPod and started flipping through songs. I was going to wait until she walked through that door. And when she did, she would be in for it.

Rose yawned loudly, telling me I could wait here for her. And with that, she got up and went to bed.

By now, it was late, but I sat there, flipping through my iPod, searching for a loud song.

I would wait there all night if I had to.


	2. Chapter 2

Confession time: I didn't wait all night for Aurora to get back. Truth is, about an hour after my rant I went home and pretty much passed out in my bed fully dressed.

Harsh light was hitting me in face. Opening my eyes, I glanced at the digital clock on my nightstand. Almost noon.

I groaned and shifted into a somewhat upright position. My hair was a mess, sticking to my face and standing around crazily. A throbbing pain from my left temple caused me to groan once more. I hadn't even drank much and my head was pounding.

I rubbed my temple absently, eyes closed. Standing slowly, I looked around the messy room. It was still littered with junk and clothes from when Aurora slept over. A small smile played across my face, despite my bad mood. She had seemed so normal...laughing and gossiping like an ordinary girl.

Sighing, I made my way to my small bathroom and proceeded to slowly strip off my clothes from last night. They stank of cigarette smoke and sweat. Not the best combination in the world...

The water poured down on my head, waking me up. Some of my annoyance from last night returned, only making my headache worse. I sighed and let the hot water soothe the pain from the outside. Hopefully she would be at Rose's when I got there. That way I could give her a piece of my mind...and maybe a good hit to the head. She deserved it.

Dripping wet, I walked back out into my room wearing a towel. This room really screamed Naomi. Everything about it...was me. From the odd strobe lights to the random things thumb-tacked to the walls. Glancing up at the ceiling, I saw a million copies of my face, grinning, laughing, not paying attention with sunlight streaming around me. I admit it, I was pretty with long, pale blonde hair that reached my hips and violet eyes. Even in my pictures, though, you can see some sadness in my eyes.

Sighing, I began to dress, taking note of the huge purple bruise on my hip from when I hit the counter last night. I frowned and touched it lightly, my thoughts flying back to the good looking guy with the beautiful eyes...

I felt a blush creep up on me as I thought about him. He was seriously hot... but such a asshole. I mean, honestly. Who invites someone over after they just met? You only do that if your trying to get laid. And unfortunately for so many guys, I refuse to be that girl.

With a grunt of disgust, I pulled on a tank top. It was just plain white and went great with the jeans I pulled on.

"...ditch this place and go back to my house." I said to myself in a badly portrayed tone meant to sound like his. "Get to know each other."

I pulled on a jacket, even more annoyed now then last night. My blood was boiling by this point. I was pissed off. At Aurora, at the creepy guy, at myself. Pretty much at the whole world.

Running my fingers through my still damp hair, I grabbed my iPod. There was no need to call out an "I'll be back later!". No one was here to hear it regardless. Mom died a few years back and I had no idea where my father runs off to everyday before I'm up. I don't mind it though. I like my space and freedom.

I stuck in the ear buds and blasted a song. I tried to keep my footsteps in time with the music as I walked over to Rose's. The midday sun beat down on my head, turning my hair into platinum silk that twisted in the wind.

Although I saw no one each time I glanced around, I couldn't shake the feeling I was being watched and followed. A horrible feeling in the pit of my gut was telling me to run the rest of the way. Something was lurking in the shadows...

I took a deep breath and continued walking.

The walk wasn't a long one, no matter how much I complain. This time it seemed to pass by even faster as I let the music consume my thoughts and emotions. I found myself knocking on the door loudly after a few minutes. An alert and cheerful Rose answered the door. She wore a small smile on her face as she chirped a sweet "Good morning" to me.

"Its noon..." I grumbled, walking in slowly. I pulled the plug out of my iPod and hung my earphones around my neck.

I honestly had a deep respect for Rose. How she could stick around my bitter personality and sarcastic ways, I'll never know. Had I been her, I would have dropped my sorry ass a LONG time ago. But I guess that's what made Rose...well Rose. She was a sweetie, really. Soft hearted and not much of a fighter. But caring and loving all the same.

As I opened my mouth, she spoke. "Aurora isn't here yet. But stick around. She's on her way."

I closed my mouth and threw myself on the sofa. She even knew what I wanted to say sometimes. It was creepy...in a friend sort of way.

"You want something to eat?" She was standing in the doorway, looking at me uncertainly.

I pulled my iPod out of my pocket. "Nah. I'm still kinda hungover from last night." I frowned as my iPod came to life again in my hands. "I might puke if I eat."

She simply smiled and shook her head. "Oh Naomi..." She walked into her kitchen and I pressed play.

Leaning my head against the couch, I closed my eyes and simply lost myself in the beat and lyrics. Nothing in the world mattered right now except the song and my heartbeat.

I frowned and opened my eyes as the last cord played and faded. Sitting up, I started shifting through my songs for another relaxing one.

A sudden tap on my shoulder made me jump about 50 feet in the air. Turning quickly I saw a familiar set of golden eyes set against a pale face almost hidden by jet black hair. Long eyelashes made her eyes seem bigger and more innocent. The fragile-looking bone structure only added to the innocent look.

My eyes widened as a rush of relief flooded me. I yanked my earphones down. I hadn't realized how worried I had actually been until I saw she was safe. I wanted to hug her tightly just for being alright.

But the urge to hug her was quickly replaced by annoyance.

"What the hell were you thinking?" I snapped.

I saw her flinch and regret was evidently written on her face. Good, I thought, feel guilty.

Slamming my iPod down on the table, I stood. A rush of anger, even greater then the rush of relief, warmed me from my head to my toes. Stalking over to her, I grabbed her by her long black hair and pulled her face near mine.

"Do you know how worried I was! How many times do I have to yell at you not to go to those stupid parties! Am I going to have to beat some sense into you?" I grit my teeth to keep from yelling something I knew I would regret later. I looked down to keep my control. I was practically vibrating with anger.

That's when I caught sight of her arm.

Aurora tried to pull it behind her back and hide it from me, but I let go of her hair and jerked her arm forward. A long cut ran from her wrist almost to her inner arm. I couldn't believe it...

"Again? Ugh!" I was seething. I wanted to beat her with a broomstick. I wanted to hit her until she realized pain wasn't a good thing.

She cast her eyes downwards and I turned away in disgust.

"I can't believe you keep doing this crap!"

"I'm sorry!" I could hear by her voice how close she was to tears. Normally I would sigh angrily and tell her not to do it again. But this time I was fed up with it.

"Yeah be sorry! Because the one day you don't show back up you're gonna be so sorry then!"

And with that amazing line of truth, I stormed out. 


	3. Chapter 3

I couldn't stand to be in the house. When I'm angry, its better I leave. I'd explode if I was forced to stay.

Stomping my way down the street, I didn't stop for anything or anyone. Not that anyone was on the streets in the first place...

By the time I had cooled off, I had walked almost a mile from Rose's house. I was now standing in the slums, downtown in our world. The most dangerous area...and I was excited. I wanted an excuse to pulverize something. Anything.

I walked like the princess I was convinced I was. My footsteps light and dainty, I walked farther into town. As my feet carried me deeper into the city, I realized I saw no one on the streets.

I found it sort of ironic that no one was around the one time I dare to even step into the one time I was just ITCHING for a fight.

The feeling someone was watching me came back, the knots twisting in my stomach tightly. This time I was sure-

A sound came from a dark corner. I peered into the dark alleyway (oh how cliche), searching for the source. Some part of me hoped it was a rat. The other part of me, the less girly half, was hoping it was something I could fight.

Shadows swirled around, forming a vortex. And from the darkness came a dark form.

I swear my heart beat with excitement.

The first thing I noticed was it was a guy. About my age, with a nicely built body. Leave it to me to notice his body first...

My sword appeared in my hand as I willed it. I honestly loved my sword. It was a diamond katana, suited for my height and weight. I had, with the help of Rose's brother, synthesized it at a moogle workshop. The blade was as sharp as that of a normal sword, yet it was less likely to break in a battle, which has happened to me a few times.

"So YOU'RE the one snooping around here. I thought I felt a presence of light..." A deep, seductive voice rang out angrily. A familiar voice...

My eyes met his and I gasped. It was the boy from last night! The one with the beautiful eyes. His ink black hair was spiked up in every direction, reminding me of someone...

He chuckled darkly. "Didn't think I would ever see YOU again...much less in a place like this." His voice was like dark chocolate melting...addictive yet bitter and so very compelling.

The words caught in my throat out of shock.

He came up to me and brushed his fingers across my bottom lip. I felt my face flush as he spoke. "What's the matter? Cat got your tongue?" He chuckled again and brushed my hair out of my face. "Maybe NOW you'll come with me..."

Glaring, I jumped back and raised my blade. Was he honestly trying this again? I said no when I was drunk, what made him think I would agree now that I was sober?

"Ooh... a fighter. I find that sexy." He winked at me and smirked. He was obviously enjoying this more than he should.

I felt my face flush once more.

"Come on... won't you come back to the hotel with me and keep me company for a few hours?" He was laughing at me now. He didn't find me a threat. Not even in the slightest.

I slipped in control and let out a low growl. It was feral, resembling some kind of wild animal.

He stared at me a moment before laughing once more. "That was insanely sexy. Now I have to know..." He closed the distance between us, pressing his body against my own. "Whats your name?"

Darkness swirled around his hands as they grabbed my shoulders roughly. My sweater protected me from being touched by it but there was still a cold chill.

I could feel the heat slipping through his thin black v-neck t-shirt. It made my heart beat uncontrollably and loudly. I was pretty sure he could hear it as it tried to escape from my chest. I will only admit this once; I was TERRIFIED. I knew if I didn't get away soon I was going to be raped.

Dismissing my sword, I pushed him with as much force as I could muster up and turned to run. My body and mind tuned out everything except escaping.I ignored the pain I received when I scraped my body too close to the wall and when I hit my hand against a metal dumpster and sliced it. Nothing but escape mattered.

Strong arms grabbed me around the waist and pulled me back. "I don't think so!"

Leaning my body forward, I felt him try to keep his grip on me and lean forward too. Then I smashed my head back into his face and heard the satisfying crunch of his nose breaking.

"I don't care what you think!" I cried out and stomped on his foot with enough force to break it.

Then I was thrown against a wall. My head cracked against the bricks and made me see stars. Gasping in pain, I tried to clear my vision by blinking. I tried to recollect the air that he had knocked out of my lungs.

Then I felt his lips on mine. It was completely opposite of what I had initially braced for. His mouth was soft and gentle on mine, not moving just pressing against. He wasn't insistent or trying to force my mouth open.

I was frozen in place, yet my heart was being tugged forward. I can't explain the feeling of having your heart tugged on but lets just say, it felt odd in a good way.

I can't explain this either, but somehow, something inside my heart had shifted.

He pulled away and stared into my face. I could see a light blush across his cheekbones as he traced my features slowly with his eyes. My wide eyes and flushed face, my pale blond hair that hung in my face, the light skin tone that didn't have even a sign of freckles.

I studied his face as he studied mine. Apparently, I had done no damage at all in my desperate attack.

He had a baby face, with big eyes framed by thick black lashes. He had a full bottom lip with a thinner upper lip. His lip was pierced on the left, a small black hoop stuck through it.

A hand reached up slowly and brushed my bangs out of my face, causing me to blink. In that moment I had blinked, he cupped my face and kissed me. This time, he wanted more then just my lips pressed to his though and tried to get me to kiss him back.

I turned my head away, my face blood red and my heart thudding in my chest.

"You felt it too... I know you did." His low voice now carried a hint of emotion in it that I couldn't identify.

"...Felt what?" I asked, my voice shaking.

Instead of answering, he placed his hand over my heart. I was torn between shoving his hand off me and screaming. So I kept my mouth shut and watched him instead.

"...I never told you my name did I?" He asked, running his hand through his spiky hair. "My name is Vanitas, prince of the darkness." 


	4. Chapter 4

The water rolled up onto the shore, brushing the tips of my shoes. My hand throbbed from slicing it on the edge of the dumpster, a white bandage wrapped around it. The sun was peaking up over the edge of the world, the last bits of light being sucked away as stars began to appear overhead. A small breeze rolled by, carrying the smell of salt and sun. My hair twisted around a bit before falling flat once more as the wind died.

I was staring at the sunset, my thoughts consumed entirely by the events of today and yesterday. At this time yesterday, I had been applying my sparkly eye shadow in huge amounts and trying to find matching shoes for my outfit. Today, I stood on this deserted island where the voices of children used to ring out in laughter and joy. Today, I stood in my jeans and sweater, wearing no makeup and not caring in the least that my hair was a wild mess on top of my head.

How was it that in a few hours my entire world was upside down? How could one person make such a difference in the way I thought and felt?

Something cold and wet pressed against my cheek.

I jumped and turned to see Vanitas, standing behind me with a half eaten sea salt ice cream hanging from his mouth. Another ice cream was held out to me, inches from my face. His eyes regarded me carefully, as if I might have changed my mind in the few minutes he was gone.

"Don't do that." He said, handing me the frozen treat. "I've been talking for a while only to realize you weren't even listening."

"Sorry..." I said, taking a bite from the ice cream. A mixture of sweet and salty hit my taste buds.

We stood there in silence as I ate my ice cream. Vanitas had the Popsicle stick hanging out of his mouth still, the ice cream long gone. His eyes met mine and I felt the same tugging on my heart.

A small chuckle escaped his lips as he reached out and wiped my chin. The ice cream had melted and run down my mouth without me noticing.

I blushed as he licked his finger. He chuckled again, the ice cream stick moving up and down from his lips.

"Very sweet." His voice was naturally deep in a seductive way. It made me melt internally every time he spoke.

I felt my blush deepen as I looked away from the teasing gold eyes. It had only been a few hours but I felt like I've known him forever. He had spent the entire time after our fight bandaging my hand and flirting with me. Although I played off his flirting, it really did give me a rush to hear him say it all the time.

The ice cream, and my distraction from Vanitas, was gone in a matter of seconds. That left us in a state of awkward silence that I completely hated.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Vanitas sigh and sit on the sand. Noticing me watching him, he smirked and motioned for me to sit next to him. I wiped my sticky hands on my jeans and sat down. The sand was soft, still warm from the days heat. I trailed my fingers through it, feeling the warmth run through them.

In what appeared to be an effort to make things less awkward, Vanitas turned to me. "So...Naomi. Tell me about yourself."

I could tell he wasn't used to making small talk with people and felt a smile fighting its way onto my face. At this point I had to hide my face and bite my lip to keep from laughing.

"...What?" He asked, seeming slightly confused and slightly annoyed.

I was shaking with laughter at his annoyance.

When he said nothing more, I was finally able to get a grip on myself. The laughter that had built up subsided and I finally let off the pressure on my lip.

The boy was watching me intently. "I don't see how a simple statement could be so funny."

I giggled at his bemused expression.

"Look Vani, I can tell your bad at this small talk stuff. You don't have to try."

He raised an eyebrow at me. "Vani?"

I grinned at him, showing a full set of white teeth. "Yup. Vanitas is too long. Your new nickname is Vani. Your welcome."

Chuckling, he rolled his eyes. "And I am NOT bad with small talk."

"Yes you are." I giggled. "You look completely awkward."

"How do you WANT me to look? I'm sitting here with a girl I barely know, who just happens to be very beautifu-" He stopped short and I saw a faint blush tint his cheeks.

I was already used to being called beautiful, though I never thought much of it or really believed it for that matter. So instead of blushing, I laughed.

"Oh PLEASE. Spare me, Vanitas! I've heard about you around town. It's VERY well known you sleep around only with very pretty women. So do NOT, feed me that 'Your so beautiful' bull."

He opened his mouth and I cut him off.

"Second," I said, holding up two fingers. "Its ALSO well known that you're dangerous. So it really doesn't matter if you know me or not. You could force yourself on me. Hell, I wouldn't be surprised if you raped men-"

This time he cut me off. The second after I had said "men", he had me pinned to the sand with my arms above my head. He was sitting on my hips with most of his weight, making it difficult for me to move.

"Honestly Naomi, would a gay man be doing this?" He asked, his eyes glittering with excitement.

Though my heart was pounding fast and I was worried about what this would lead to, I spoke. "A defensive gay man in denial would."

I felt proud my voice didn't shake. But the small victory was short lived as he leaned close to my face.

"Fine then. Would a gay man do this?"

With that he forced his mouth on mine, keeping steady pressure on my wrists and hips. My mind blanked out as he forced my lips open with his tongue. He was rough now, his body pressing to me and his mouth working roughly against mine.

I still hadn't really processed what was happening when his lips left mine and moved down my neck.

A gasp was torn from me as his warm lips trailed kisses down to my shoulder. My shoulder and neck were very sensitive to touch. I flushed bright red and began to struggle in his grip slightly.

"Vanitas, get off! Please! Get off me!" My voice was shaking now, showing weakness.

I heard him chuckle as he licked my neck.

This time, a strangled cry came out of my lips, a cross between a gasp and a moan.

"Really Vanitas? A girl that much smaller then you? At least choose a girl with a fighting chance." A voice rang out across the beach. It was soft, yet strong and very feminine. And it was challenging.

I glanced up at the speaker. A woman with striking blue hair walked up, bright blue eyes a shade darker then her hair. It looked dyed until I noticed her eyebrows matched. Her face really caught my attention, as she was incredibly beautiful. My first emotion towards her was envy, she was perfect. From her graceful walk to the way she spoke, she was perfect.

"Aqua..." Vanitas spoke her name like he was amused and not being accused of raping someone. "Stay out of this."

She glared at him, her bright eyes sparkling with hate. "I wont stand by and let you hurt her!"

I opened my mouth to answer her when he pulled me to his chest, muffling any sound I made.

"Last time I checked, you LIKED the way I hurt girls." I could hear in his voice, he was smirking. "Hey, you still sore from last night?"

She gasped and stuttered out something unintelligible. A sharp, metallic sound cut through the air, almost like a sword being unsheathed. She yelled once more and footsteps pounded through the sand.

At that moment time slowed down as he turned so I was over him, my back exposed. I looked up and saw the girl trying to slow down and stop her weapon from striking me. Backpedaling as hard as she could, her weapon hit her knee as she stopped it from hitting me with a few inches to spare.

And I was thrown off, hitting the sand hard. Vanitas was up in one fluid motion, a black keyblade appearing in his hands. His back was to me as his body tensed a bit.

Aqua, who had healed her knee, was glaring at him, dropping into a battle stance.

"You have such a nice, pale neck..." He spoke huskily. "I would love to tear your throat out slowly with my teeth."

I blinked and felt my eyes widen.

What?

Aqua, on the other hand, had gone pale but didn't drop her stance. She merely grit her teeth and glared, not making a single move.

"Or I could hang you by some hooks," He tone held enjoyment and lust. "Slowly watch it tear your skin off and lick the blood as it drips down your back."

I paled, staring in disbelief. Was this really the man who had been blushing and calling me beautiful a moment before? Now he was clearly intent on watching this woman suffer and enjoying it.

"I want to tear you apart." Vanitas said, none of his emotions concealed.

It wasn't at all hard to imagine his eyes glittering excitedly as he licked his lips. I could tell he really would hurt people like that and probably get off from it.

My heart thudded against my chest with fear now. This guy was insane. I wanted to run as fast as I could. Never in my life had I wanted to run away this badly. But I was rooted to the floor in fear.

Everything moved really fast then.

Aqua, having gone pale as a sheet, had snarled in disgust "You freak!" and charged him, her keyblade raised high.

And in a movement as fast as the nimble woman, he spun out with his keyblade, catching her in the side with the teeth.

She cried out in pain but continued in her attack, which caught him across the cheek. Blood spurted from the new gash on his cheek but he jerked his wrist and twisted the blade into her side.

Her keyblade fell from her hands as she screamed out in pain. With a quick tug, Vanitas pulled the blade out and looked at it. Blood was dripping off the end and staining the white sand. Slowly, he brought it to his lips and licked the blood.

Aqua stumbled, holding onto her badly injured side. With shaking hands, she tried to heal herself, her fingertips glowing brightly. But the magic wasn't enough, I realized, she didn't have enough energy.

something inside my head told me to run to her and help her, and I felt my body begin to rise from where I was thrown.

But his harsh voice stopped me.

"I should just end you now. But slitting your throat would just be a quick death for you." He chuckled, not at all sounding amused.

I was terrified at this point, fearing more for my life then for hers. Death was becoming a rapidly approaching possibility for me. He was truly insane.

"Oh well." He spoke and walked over to her limping form.

"You'll never get away with this!" She spat out, her voice strong and full of hate.

"Watch me." He said and stabbed straight into her arm. Twisting the blade around, there was a loud 'pop' that was quickly followed by a high keening scream.

I couldn't tell who it was who screamed, me or Aqua. At that moment I wanted to throw up, because her arm was being slowly cut off.

Vanitas was wiggling the blade back and forth, hacking off the skin and muscle.

And I couldn't bare to look anymore. My body responded without my brain registering what I was thinking. As fast as I could, I shot up to my feet and ran in the opposite direction from this horrible scene I had been witnessing.

No thoughts crossed my mind as I ran, I was simply acting.

And this was enough to drive me to run into the dense forest up ahead. I needed to get away before I became the next victim.

The one thing that barely registered in my head was that I did not regret leaving her to her death. I didn't regret a single thing.

As long as I got away. 


	5. Chapter 5

The trees and shrubs were a blur as my feet pounded against the ground. I felt sharp stings occasionally hit my face and bare arms but ignored it. Images of blood and the sound of that high keening pushed me harder than ever before. I ran faster than I ever had, faster than my training sessions defiantly. I knew the soreness would hit me later but I was more focused on getting back into town where it was safe.

What WAS that?

I didn't know exactly what had gone on, but I knew one thing: The cute guy I had been sitting on the beach with was nothing more than a sick and twisted monster.

Darkness was closing in, the sun setting on me. But the darkness I usually found comfort in only enhanced my fear. He could be anywhere. I was positive he wouldn't let me go after having seen that.

In perfect timing to my increased fear, I heard his laugh echo down the street. It felt like a huge horror movie, starring myself. But I knew there wouldn't be a call for a "cut" anytime soon.

My body was turning into the alleyway before I was even aware that it was there. Thanks to 3 years of training, I was able to swiftly pull myself onto a closed dumpster and onto the window ledge of a 4 story apartment building. Balance has never been an issue for me and it didn't become one as I scaled the remotely small building, finding nearly impossible footholds. But when I heard his laugh once more, this time much closer despite the fact I was almost to the roof, I began to shake and slide.

If I didn't get away soon, this wouldn't end well.

Hauling myself over the ledge on the roof, I gave myself a minute to catch my breath and try to figure out where he was. That last chilling cackle had sounded like it was right by my ear, though I hadn't seen him anywhere around the building as I continued up.

Resting my palms on the rough stone, I scanned the ground below with my enhanced vision. A stray cat pounced on a mouse, biting into its small body. I made a face and looked away as it dragged its meal away.

My blade appeared in my hand and I knew he was close, but I couldn't see him still.

"Where are you...?" I murmured, a frown forming on my lips.

"Try looking behind you." That seductive voice murmured back in my ear, a pair of hands groping my ass.

With a startled cry I spun, my weapon aiming for his throat. But Vanitas was expecting some form of attack and deflected it easily, knocking my katana over the edge and down into the alley where the cat from earlier yowled in pain.

Before I could react to losing my weapon, he had me pinned down on the cold stone. He leaned in close to me and in the darkness I saw that smirk playing across his lips, only now there was a sarcastic twist to it.

"What, a little bloodshed too much for you?" He was mocking me, his tone sour.

I didn't bother even formulating a witty retort, instead opting to struggle against his weight. But, like before, he outweighed me drastically and was much stronger than I was.

"Aw, what's wrong babe," He laughed, pinning my wrists down tighter. "I thought what we had was special!"

I tried to knee him in the groin, tried to free my legs, tried to do something to get free. All to no anvil.

"Baby, I can change!" This was only a joke to him, to this monster. "Give me another chance!" He laughed.

I spat in his face.

The next few seconds was a blur, as the clouds suddenly parted and the light of the full moon shone down on us. His face went from bitter teasing to pure anger and his eyes...oh, his eyes shifted from that enticing gold to blood red and for the first time, I knew what pure terror was. Adrenaline kicked in then and I began thrashing in his grip. It did no good though, as he lifted me by my wrists and slammed me to the ground.

"You wanna be a bad bitch?" He growled, leaning over my crumpled form with my wrists still locked tight in his hands.

When I didn't answer him, he lifted me once more and slammed me down again, the impact earning a loud crack from my side.

I was biting back a million swear words and a few whimpers when he lifted me once more. I was supposed to be able to withstand the worst torture imaginable with all my training, but at the moment everything I learned seemed to have gone from my mind. I felt completely helpless now, with no one to help or save me-

The third slam drew out the first cry from my lips. This time I felt my head had cracked against the concrete of the roof and everything was going blurry. With a shuddering breath I desperately fought the blackness that was overtaking me. Breathing became more difficult.I couldn't feel Vanitas gripping my wrists anymore...

Then I heard something like a growl shouting the word "No!" and then a stabbing pain in my neck.

Pain. Every part of my body was in pain.

Fire. I was being burned from the inside out.

I'm sure my screams were heard all over town, yet no one came to help me. No one came to put out the fire.

Amidst the struggling and the screaming, I felt him holding me down, murmuring to me softly, his lips against the base of my throat...

And the darkness finally pulled me under.

Fire. I was being burned from the inside out.

I'm sure my screams were heard all over town, yet no one came to help me. No one came to put out the fire.

Admist the struggling and the screaming, I felt him holding me down, murmuring to me softly, his lips against the base of my throat...

And the darkness finally pulled me under. 


	6. Chapter 6

Sinking into fine silks, I felt as though nothing else existed but the soft, smooth material that seemed to be draped over my hips and my legs. I don't recall my bed ever being so comfortable...

I breathed in deeply and then froze as I felt the warm hand resting on the small of my back.

"You're awake." Vanitas spoke softly, his voice containing no trace of the madness from before.

I laid still, not even opening my eyes. How had I ended up here?

His hand was now tracing small circles into my spine, gently working into the muscles that I realized were sore. With my eyes closed, I mentally checked myself. Every part of my body was sore, from my hips to my thighs all the way up my body to my neck and my lips.

My eyes fluttered open to see a cascade of black blocking my vision. It was hair. Frowning, I pushed it out of my face only to realize it was my own hair.

I rounded on him. "You dyed my hair?" I screetched, ignoring the sharp pain as I sat up.

He watched me amusedly, taking a strand of my now jet black hair and twirling it between his fingers.

"I did nothing. It turned black by itself."

I was glaring daggers into his soul when I realized he was laying only partially covered by the black silk bedsheets. My face heated up and I looked away, scowling at a torn up shirt laying on the floor across the room.

"What?" He snickered. "Can't bear to look at me? You were the one who jumped me."

I gaped at him in horror and denial. A wicked grin spread over his face as his arms wrapped tightly around my waist and pulled my bare chest agaisnt his. His eyes glittered with malicious amusement.

"Don't you remember?" His fingers traced my spine and I shivered. "You stormed in here, dripping with blood and-"

"No! No, I didn't!" I covered my ears with my palms, closing my eyes tightly as though it would make this all go away.

His body shook with laughter against my own and he pulled me even tighter against his chest. Muffled words came through my blocked ears but I wouldn't even dare to consider it true.

I was murmuring to myself, trying to block him out further.

Apperently he didn't like this and decided to shut me up.

His lips crashed down onto mine and I was suddenly pinned against the bed, both my wrists in on of his hands as his other hand was running slowly down my hip. I had no control of the situation at all, he was going to take me once more-

Vanitas pulled his lips from mine, breathing raggedly. A soft smile touched his lips and his hand let go of my wrists, though he didn't pull away. Instead, he laid his head on my chest and began tracing my arms, his eyes on me.

My face was flushed bright red as I laid there, trying to make sense of what was going on exactly. My memories were foggy, the last things I remember being a sharp pain in my neck before I passed out. Could that have been his fault? It must have been, thats why his laugh echoed through my mind with the memory. Why else would I have woken up next to him? He had this planned from the start.

But...exactly what was this? He went through all that trouble to get into my pants? No, there was something else going on here.

"What's on your mind...?" His voice broke through my thoughts,soft and curious. I blinked and glanced back down at him, his mesmerizing gold eyes meeting mine.

"Nothing..." I spoke softly. He was calm for the moment, apperently comfortable laying on top of me. And I wasn't going to lie, the heat radiating off him was oddly relaxing.

"Why are you lying to me Naomi?" His fingers trailed down my arms length, resting at the crook of my elbow and tracing the visible bruise that looked suspiciously like fingers.

I frowned. "I'm not lying."

He raised a dark eyebrow at me but said nothing more on the matter. Closing his eyes, he relaxed once more. I didn't want to, but my eyes began to drink him in.

For once, he wasn't scowling at the world or smirking like a jackass. Instead, his face was smoothed out in ultimate content. It struck me once again how good looking he was, even more so when he wasn't putting up the bad boy front.

Slowly, my eyes slid down to his chest. Well muscled, hard packed abs. This guy had been training seriously for a long time. No wonder he had been able to catch-

My head began to ache, a sudden sharp pain that inturrupted my thoughtflow. I grit my teeth and held my head until it passed.

"You alright?" Once more, his voice pulled through and snapped me back to reality. The pain was gone.

I looked at him and noticed dark red marks covering his neck and chest. Bite marks.

"You're looking a little pale..." His hand came up and cupped my cheek gently. "Maybe you should rest..."

Though the touch was gentle, I felt the power in it. Something raw and feirce coursed through my body, leaving me frozen. All of who I was, what made me Naomi Kuro, was suddenly gone. The feeling left me dying for air, dying for something to hold onto as my body and soul were thrown into a whirlwind.

I was gasping, the burning was back and it coursed through my entire being this time. It was like someone lit my insides on fire and the flames were engulfing me.

"Sleep now, Naomi. When you wake the pain will be gone. I promise, Ai." A soft whisper, carried through the burning.

My mouth was moving on its own.

"Yes, master."

My name was Naomi. I was a slave to the darkness. 


	7. Chapter 7

Soft candlelight gave the room a dim glow, strong enough to see but not so bright as to hurt my sensitive eyes.

It was probably 3 in the morning, maybe a little earlier, and I was alone in the bedroom as per usual. Vanitas was only around until I woke, leaving my nights to be empty until he returned before dawn.

This night, I was doing one of my favorite things: looking at the beautiful reflection I cast. Watching the candle lights glow reflecting off my skin as I moved, the soft rivets in my hair and the curves that formed my graceful, thin body.

_I could see why Vanitas found me so enticing_.

Sighing, I watched as my reflections lower lip jutted out. She looked disheveled; dark hair was a dark mane around her, lips slightly swollen and bare skin covered in hand shaped bruises. I stared at the girl in the mirror, such a familiar stranger...As I stared my reflection shifted, rippling as though the surface was now water, and changed into someone else. She was thin, her body was in top shape. Pale blonde hair hung like a thick veil around her to her hips, making her sun-kissed skin seem a little darker.

A sharp pain made me gasp and grip my head, forcing me to look away. I felt like my head was being split open, being stabbed by the sharpest of knives. My breath came in gasping pants, where had all the air in the room gone? Why couldn't I breathe?

When the pain subsided, I only saw myself in the mirror. Curvy and pale as I've always been. It must have been a trick of the light...or maybe I was just tired again. I didn't dwell on it much and stood, stretching my sore body.

I pulled a thin, silk robe over myself and wandered downstairs and into the kitchen. As always, Van kept it well stocked and ready for use. Though I suppose when you have all the money in the world, you can always hire help and think nothing of it. Though I never saw these workers, they must have come through in the mornings when I was still sleeping.

Grabbing a bowl, I poured fresh berries and cream into separate piles. This would be a good snack before going back to bed. Settling myself into the plush, leather couch, I grabbed a small remote controller and flipped on some soft music from the stereo system set in the far end of the living room. Instantly, the room was filled with a deep, sensual beat. Soon, I found myself laying on my back with the bowl on my stomach, dipping the berries into the sweet cream and popping them into my mouth. Tart and sweet and juicy, the berries were the best I've ever had.

I finished my snack all too soon and as I licked my fingers clean, my eyes landed on the door. Tucked away, behind the stairs that led back up to the room that took the entire second floor, was a much smaller door, dark enough to blend into the black walls. Van had made it perfectly clear that it was forbidden to go down there. I didn't come down here much regardless so it was usually out of sight out of mind.

But now...

Setting the bowl down, I swiftly got to my feet and strode to the door. I wondered if it was locked... My hand reached out and grabbed the doorknob. Cool metal met warm flesh and it was like a jolt coursing through my body. A crack of energy and suddenly I was thrown backwards and hit the floor hard.

I blinked. Once...twice...three times. _Had I been...pushed? No...I had stumbled back and fell on my ass. But...why?_

My eyes went to my hand, which looked perfectly fine. So I had just imagined the shock of energy? _But it had felt so real..._

The front door slammed. "Naomi?"

Excitement had me on my feet in a matter of seconds as I clumsily tried to tidy my hair, fix my robe and adjust the pendant that hung around my neck.

"Naomi you in here?" He walked into the living room and my eyes drank him in. He was dirty, his hair flying all over and streaks of blood and dirt across any skin that showed. Yet to me...he was a masterpiece.

A small smile spread over his lips and I saw his eyes soften a bit. He took off his leather jacket and tossed it onto the sofa as he crossed to where I stood.

The moment froze and we stood there, not touching, not moving. Just drinking each other in.

Then I felt it, the familiar tug towards him and suddenly I was in his arms, kissing him and pulling him even closer to myself. Every one of my senses was being drowned in him; his smell mixed with the sharp metallic scent of blood, the feeling of his warm calloused hands on me, the taste of him...I was drowning and I didn't care in the slightest.

He pulled his lips off mine to kiss my forehead gently, wrapping his arms around my waist and just holding me. I wanted more kisses...but I knew it could wait.

"You're back early..." I murmured, my head against his chest. I could hear and feel his heart beating erratically in his chest, as if trying to escape.

"I finished my job quickly." His hands were running over my hips and my waist, tracing through the sheer robe teasingly soft.

"And that job would be...?" My eyes found his and I caught his grin.

"Still not telling you." Van pressed his lips to my forehead once more before changing the subject. "So what are you doing downstairs? Couldn't rest?"

I smiled up at him, nervous. Did he know I almost opened the door...?

"I got a little hungry...I ate the berries in the fridge..."

He chuckled lightly as he brushed his fingers over my stained lips. "That explains the extra sweetness..."

I blinked. "Extra?"

"You're already so very sweet," his lips curved up into that smirk as his warm breath washed over my lips. "So divinely sweet, Ai."

A shiver ran down my spine as my stomach began tying itself into knots. I wanted to kiss him again, to taste him and feel him.

"Before I forget..." I watched as he reached into his back pocket and pulled out a box. "I saw this and thought of you."

He was smiling as I took the small satin box from him and opened it up. Inside lay a gleaming chain with a charm hanging off it.

"It's white gold." He shrugged as he lifted it out of the box. "Not that great..."

Suddenly he looked worried, staring at the chain.

"Should I have gotten you something better? I should have...you should only have the best...Ai only gets the best..."

I lifted his chin gently with my fingers and pressed my lips against his, effectively cutting him off before he began ranting and rambling. His lips automatically responded to mine and I felt him clutch me to his body possessively. The chain he gripped in his other hand was digging into my cheek as he gripped my face. Quickly, he took control of the situation, kissing me roughly as though he couldn't help himself.

Yes, this is what I wanted. I wanted to make him happy. I wanted to be the source of his pleasure. And he wanted to be pleased by me too.

I broke away from the kiss first, though, gasping for air as he trailed down my neck. I felt his teeth nick the skin on the most sensitive part and gasped involuntarily.

The necklace was dropped as he dug his nails into my hips and sunk his teeth into my shoulder. I felt the tension in his body as he drank from me, drinking my blood as I moaned and urged him to continue.

The floor underneath my feet vanished as I was lifted and carried to the couch.

It was a very long night, and round after round he begged for more.


End file.
